Washington @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 8, 2010 ) Washington 3, LA Dodgers 8
THE STORY: The Dodgers probably wish they could have played through the All-Star break. They had won four straight, allowing just one run, before taking four days off. Despite nipping San Francisco 1-0 Wednesday behind a brilliant performance by Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles is just 2-4 since the break and has scored just seven runs in five games. The Dodgers start a three-game series with the visiting Nationals on Friday night, the teams' first meeting. The Nationals are also 2-4 since the break and have won only three of their last 10.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET; PRIME (Los Angeles), MASN2 (Washington).
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals LH John Lannan (6-6, 3.62) vs. Dodgers RH Hiroki Kuroda (6-11, 3.13).
Lannan is 4-1 since June 1 and has allowed more than three runs in only three of 20 starts. He gave up two runs over 5 2/3 innings to win his last start July 16 against Atlanta. Lannan is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in 19 innings against the Dodgers. Left-handed batters are .200 against him. Current Dodgers are 4-for-29 against him, led by Andre Ethier (2-for-5, home run). Kuroda gave up three runs in six innings to take the loss against Arizona in his last start July 16. He is 1-8 in his last nine decisions, but Kuroda has allowed more than two runs just twice in his last eight starts. He is 1-0 lifetime against the Nationals with a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings. Current Washington hitters are 5-for-40 against Kuroda.
ABOUT THE DODGERS (43-55): The Dodgers have 12 shutouts, third only to Philadelphia and Texas. But if they are to make any kind of run the final 64 games, the offense has to perk up. They've scored a major league-low 37 runs in July and have scored one or none in eight of 16 games. Matt Kemp (24 homers, 72 RBIs) has continued his standout season following the break, with two homers and five RBIs, but others are scuffling. Ethier is 2-for-20 the last six games, Jamey Carroll is 1-for-17 in the last eight and James Loney is 2-for-13 since the break.
ABOUT THE NATIONALS (48-50): Washington has leveled out after a tremendous 12-1 run in June. The Nationals have allowed seven or more runs in three of six games since the All-Star break and lost a series to the lowly Astros. The news isn’t all bad. Michael Morse had a good series against Houston, going 7-for-12 with a pair of homers and three RBIs to raise his average to .312. Another positive is Jayson Werth, who belted his first homer since June 16 and had two doubles Wednesday. Ryan Zimmerman (3-for-21, last five games) and Danny Espinosa (1-for-12 against Houston) need to pick it up.
FINAL PITCH: Kershaw (11-4) became the first Dodger to strike out at least 10 in six games during a season since Hideo Nomo in 1997. Kershaw has 167 strikeouts, which led the majors through Wednesday.